Blue Sulpher Springs

For centuries people have believed that drinking or bathing in natural occurrences of mineral waters or warm waters was conducive to good health, and by mid nineteenth century, resort hotels or spas had grown up around many American springs of this type. Accompanied by retinues of servants, wealthy families made annual pilgrimages to these resorts "to take the waters" and, increasingly, to meet friends in a fashionable setting. A variety of recreational activities, such as carriage and horseback rides, promenades, balls, and games, all catered to this clientele, making social life an important function of the springs, one that outweighed the salubrious aspects of the visits for many.

Blue Sulphur Springs is found in Greenbrier County, West Virginia (once part of Virginia). Ten other watercolors of popular area springs are known to have been created by the same artist, possibly Mrs. Edward Shippen Burd (Eliza Howard) of Philadelphia. The artist probably sketched the group as a recreational pastime and kept them as souvenirs of her visits to the respective resorts. The thirteen renderings descended as a group in Mrs. Burd's family until they were dispersed by sale in 1947.

Learn more at the link below.